Container lid for wet or dry applications

ABSTRACT

Apparatus includes a lid and a container/lid combination and associated methods, in which the lid may be used selectively for either dry or liquid-sealed applications. For liquid-sealed applications, a gasket or similar sealing element is provided in a gasket channel. A shoulder or detent prevents the container from entering the gasket channel, but permits the desired liquid-sealing when the gasket or similar sealing element is present in the channel. The sealing element may be foamed-in-place within the channel.

CONTAINER LID FOR WET OR DRY APPLICATIONS

[0001] This invention relates to containers and lids and associatedmethods in general, and specifically to apparatus and methods forproviding a selectively dry or liquid seal between a container and anassociated lid.

[0002] 1. Background of the Invention

[0003] In a broad sense, container lids are typically designed to sealcontainers containing either liquids or “dry” materials. Liquidstypically are sealed by providing a gasket or similar sealing elementthat is not typically required for dry sealing.

[0004] The same lid typically is not able to provide both a liquid sealand a “dry” seal. Instead, separate molds, inventory, distribution, andother overhead typically exist for dry sealing lids and forliquid-sealing lids, although the same container may be usable witheither.

[0005] 2. Objects and Advantages of the Invention

[0006] Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to providea container lid that is usable in either wet or dry applications.

[0007] Another object of the present invention is to provide a lid ofthe aforementioned character, in which the lid includes a channel memberat its periphery for engaging with a corresponding portion of acontainer, the channel member having a cross-section that includes adry-sealing contact surface and a wet-sealing contact area forselectively receiving a wet-sealing contact member. The dry-sealingcontact surface can be configured to abut a confronting surface on thecontainer when no wet-sealing contact member is present in thewet-sealing contact area, and the wet-sealing contact area can beconfigured to provide liquid sealing between the lid and the containerwhen a wet-sealing contact member is present in the wet-sealing contactarea. The wet-sealing contact member can include a flexible gasket,sealing material foamed-in-place in the wet-sealing contact area, orother suitable sealing means.

[0008] An additional object of the present invention is to provide a lidof the aforementioned character, in which the dry-sealing contactsurface includes a shoulder formed in the channel, and the wet-sealingcontact area includes a deeper portion of the channel that is notnormally in direct contact with the container, the deeper portion of thechannel configured to receive the wet-sealing contact member. Theshoulder may be configured to prevent insertion of the container intothe wet-sealing contact area.

[0009] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide acontainer and lid combination, the container having an upper edge andthe lid having a peripheral structure for matingly engaging that upperedge. The container's upper edge includes a first portion and a secondportion, and the lid's peripheral structure includes a contactingsurface configured to contact the first portion of the upper edge duringnon-liquid-sealing between the container and the lid. The peripheralstructure further includes a selective sealing section configured toselectively receive a liquid-sealing element and to position thatelement in contact with the second portion of the upper edge duringliquid-sealing between the container and the lid. The first and secondportions of the upper edge of the container may be relatively flatadjacent surfaces. The lid's peripheral structure may include adownwardly disposed outer flange member, and the contacting surface tocontact the first portion of the upper edge may include a detent on theflange configured to prevent the second portion of the upper edge fromcontacting the selective sealing section except if a liquid-sealingelement is present in the selective sealing section.

[0010] A further object of the present invention is to provide a lidhaving a generally inverted U-shaped cross section at its periphery, thecross section having a first portion for receiving a correspondingportion of a container in a dry-seal relationship, the cross-sectionhaving a further recessed portion for selectively receiving aliquid-sealing member for providing liquid-sealing between the lid andthe container. The cross-section can further include a shoulder portiondefining the first portion from the recessed portion.

[0011] A still further object of the present invention is to provide amethod of sealing a plurality of containers, including the steps of:providing a plurality of containers having uniform structures forengagement with corresponding lids; providing a plurality of lidscorresponding to the containers, each lid having the same generallyinverted U-shaped cross section at its periphery, the cross sectionhaving a first portion for engaging the engagement structure of any oneof the containers in a dry-seal relationship, the cross-section having afurther recessed portion for selectively receiving a liquid-sealingmember for providing liquid-sealing between the lid and its associatedcontainer; and selectively inserting a liquid sealing member into therecessed portion of those lids for which liquid-sealing is desired.

[0012] Another object of the invention is the provision of a containerlid including: a central lid portion integrally molded with a peripheralstep channel, the step channel configured to positively engage anassociated container and to provide a gasket compression gap forselective assembly of a compressible gasket element therein. Acompressible gasket element may be assembled in the gasket compressiongap to provide liquid sealing between the lid and an associatedcontainer.

[0013] Yet another object of the invention is the provision of amulti-purpose container lid including a sealing rim portion and a gasketchannel adjacent the sealing rim portion, further including a stopformed to permit insertion of a container into sealing contact with thesealing rim portion and to prevent insertion of that container into thegasket channel.

[0014] A still further object of the invention is to provide anintegrally molded plastic lid having a central body with a peripheralinner rim, a peripheral outer rim spaced therefrom, and a gasket channelbetween the inner rim and the outer rim, and a detent also formedbetween the inner rim and the outer rim to prevent a container frombeing inserted into the gasket channel.

[0015] Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparentfrom the following specification and the accompanying drawings, whichare for the purpose of illustration only.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016]FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 4, illustrating aprior art conventional liquid-seal lid (without the gasket needed forliquid sealing).

[0017]FIG. 2 is similar to FIG. 1, but is a cross-sectional viewillustrating a prior art conventional non-liquid-seal lid (without anyroom for a gasket needed for liquid sealing).

[0018]FIG. 3 is a top view of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

[0019]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 4-4 of FIG. 3,illustrating the lid assembled onto the container without any gasket orother liquid-sealing element.

[0020]FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 4, illustratingthe inclusion of a gasket or other sealing element prior to assembly ofthe lid onto the container.

[0021]FIG. 6 is similar to FIG. 5, but illustrates the inclusion of agasket or other sealing element after assembly of the lid onto thecontainer.

[0022]FIG. 7 is similar to FIG. 5, but illustrates a hollow gasket orother sealing element prior to assembly of the lid onto the container.

[0023]FIG. 8 is similar to FIG. 7, but illustrates a hollow gasket orother sealing element following assembly of the lid onto the container.

DESCRIPTION OF PRFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0024] As shown in FIGS. 3-8, a preferred embodiment of the inventionincludes a lid 10 that can be assembled on a mating container 50. Thepreferred embodiment of the lid 10 and container 50 are fabricated byinjection molding or some similar process, preferably to provide asuitably strong, lightweight container assembly. Persons of ordinaryskill in the art will understand that any suitable process and materialscan be used, so long as it provides the sealing described herein.

[0025] The lid 10 preferably includes a central portion 12 that can berecessed toward the container 50 from a top surface 14. Persons ofordinary skill in the art will understand that the many alternativeembodiments of the invention include those with a non-recessed centralportion flush with surface 14.

[0026] At the periphery of the lid 10, the preferred embodiment includesstructure for engaging a mating portion of the container 50. Persons ofordinary skill in the art will understand that the mating portion ofcontainer 50 is illustrated as a conventional upper edge 52 of sidewall54. Persons of ordinary skill in the art also will understand that theinvention can be adapted for use with a wide variety of containershaving edge engagement structures other than that shown in theaccompanying drawings.

[0027] As further explained herein, the invention's lid structure forengaging a mating portion of container 50 can take a wide range ofshapes, so long as it provides the desired selective sealing describedherein (either liquid or dry seal, depending on whether a gasket elementis utilized).

[0028] By way of contrast, prior art lids such as shown in FIG. 1 areconfigured to hold a gasket (not shown) in a peripheral channel gapbetween an inside surface 104 of the lid and an upper surface 106 of thecontainer. Such gaskets typically provide a liquid seal between thecontainer and lid, enabling the transport, storage, and other handlingof liquids within such assembled containers and lid.

[0029] Other prior art such as shown in FIG. 2 does not include anyperipheral gap between inside lid surface 108 and upper containersurface 110. Instead, surfaces 108 and 110 abut each other, helping toform a “dry” seal so that the container/lid assembly may be used totransport and store “dry” materials.

[0030] In the preferred embodiment of FIGS. 3-8, however, the lid 10preferably includes a channel member 20 at its periphery. In crosssection, the preferred channel 20 can be seen to be a generally invertedU-shape that fits over a container's upper edge 52. Channel 20preferably includes a sealing contact surface such as shoulder 16 thatabuts a first portion 56 of the upper edge 52. Persons of ordinary skillin the art will understand that, when assembled as illustrated in FIG.4, the contact between shoulder 16 and first portion 56 helps provide a“dry” seal between the container 50 and the lid 10.

[0031] Also in the preferred embodiment, a selective contact area 18 isprovided near a second portion 58 of the container's upper edge 52. Asfurther illustrated in connection with FIGS. 5-8, a sealing element 60can be positioned in that selective contact area 18 to provideliquid-sealing between the lid 10 and the container 50. In suchembodiments, when the lid 10 is assembled onto the container 50 (such asby pressing the lid toward the container in the direction shown by arrowA in FIG. 5), the sealing element 60 is compressed into a sealingrelationship with the container 50.

[0032] Persons of ordinary skill in the art will understand that thesealing contact surface such as shoulder 16 also can be convenientlydescribed as a dry-sealing contact surface. Persons of ordinary skill inthe art will understand, however, that the “shoulder” function ofshoulder 16 can be provided by any suitable detent or other structure,regardless of whether the shoulder also performs a dry sealing function.For example, if the shoulder element 16 were only provided by periodicribs (not shown) spaced about the periphery of the lid 10 and the dryseal function were instead only provided by a generally vertical contactsurface such as surface 19, those functions would be accomplished byseparate structures with the lid 10 and could still accomplish thedesired objectives of the invention (assuming that a suitable sealelement could be selectively used in such an embodiment).

[0033] Similarly, persons of ordinary skill in the art will understandthat the lid's selective contact area 18 can be described as awet-sealing contact area for selectively receiving a wet-sealing contactmember 60 (such as sealing elements 62 or 64, FIGS. 5-8).

[0034] Further in that regard, persons of ordinary skill in the art willunderstand that the sealing element 60 can be provided in any suitablematerial and shape, including a solid gasket or compressible bead 62(FIGS. 5 and 6) or a hollow compressible or flexible gasket 64 (FIGS. 7and 8). Persons of ordinary skill in the art will understand that thecompressible bead 62 can itself be provided in many ways, including byinserting a separately formed gasket into the lid's selective contactarea 18 or by forming the gasket in place (via foam molding or thelike).

[0035] Moreover, persons of ordinary skill in the art will understandthat the dry-sealing contact surface can be configured to abut aconfronting surface on the container at all times (even when gasketmeans 60 is present in the container/lid assembly), or only when nowet-sealing contact member 60 is present. Typically, however, when theliquid-sealing gasket 60 is present, it will always provideliquid-sealing contact (rather than providing optional contact as justdescribed for the dry sealing surface), and will additionally provide“dry” sealing (inherent in the extra level of sealing afforded by liquidsealing).

[0036] Preferably, the wet-sealing or liquid-sealing contact area can bedescribed as including a deeper portion of the peripheral lid channel,and that deeper portion is not normally in direct contact with thecontainer. Instead, the deeper portion is preferably configured toreceive the wet-sealing contact member such as gaskets 62 or 64. Thepreferred shoulder 16 is configured to prevent insertion of thecontainer into the wet-sealing contact area 18.

[0037] Similarly, the first and second portions 56 and 58 of the upperedge 52 of the container 50 preferably constitute relatively flatadjacent surfaces. Persons of ordinary skill in the art will understand,however, that in some of the many alternative embodiments (not shown),those surfaces can be oriented at an angle or vertically, and can evenbe angled with respect to each other (such as if the cross section ofFIG. 4 showed an inverted “V” shape formed from top surfaces 56 and 58).

[0038] Persons of ordinary skill in the art also will understand thatthe preferred peripheral structure on lid 10 includes a downwardlydisposed outer flange member 32, and that a tearstrip 30 may beconveniently provided therein. The shoulder 16 on lid 10 may bealternatively described as a detent 16 on the flange 32. In any case,the detent/shoulder 16 preferably is configured to prevent the secondportion 58 of the upper container edge from contacting the selectivesealing section 18 except indirectly, and then only if a liquid-sealingelement 60 (FIGS. 5-8) is present in the selective sealing section.

[0039] Among the many alternative embodiments of the invention (notshown), the second portion (for providing a liquid seal) may extendpartially into the selective sealing section 18. For embodiments inwhich the liquid seal is provided by a compressible member 60, however,any such extension into space 18 preferably will leave some space forcompression of the gasket 60, to ensure the desired liquid seal.

[0040] Persons of ordinary skill in the art will understand that theforegoing components of the invention can alternatively be described asa further recessed portion 18 for selectively receiving a liquid-sealingmember 60. As indicated above, the sealing member 60 preferably providesliquid-sealing between the lid 10 and the container 50.

[0041] In addition, persons of ordinary skill in the art will understandthat the apparatus of the invention is useful in many methods. Forexample, to seal a plurality of containers that may selectively have dryor liquid contents, a preferred method includes the steps of providing aplurality of containers having uniform structures for engagement withcorresponding lids, and providing a plurality of lids corresponding tothe containers, each lid having the same generally inverted U-shapedcross section at its periphery. As explained above, the U-shaped crosssection preferably has a first portion for engaging the engagementstructure of any one of the containers in a dry-seal relationship, andfurther includes a recessed portion for selectively receiving aliquid-sealing member 60 for providing liquid-sealing between the lidand its associated container. Further steps include selectivelyinserting a liquid sealing member 60 into the recessed portion of thoselids for which liquid-sealing is desired.

[0042] In other words, a number of the lids can be fabricated and eitherplaced into inventory or into immediate use. Depending on theapplication (liquid or dry), a sealing element 60 can be assembled intothe lid prior to assembly onto the container. Thus, the same “stock” lidcan serve to seal either liquid and dry materials in the container.

[0043] Thus, and among other things, the invention reduces the number ofmolds required to fabricate lids for wet and dry applications (at leastfor injection-molded embodiments), and it reduces or simplifiesinventory by allowing the “same” lid to be used in either a liquid or adry application.

[0044] A preferred embodiment can also be described as including centrallid portion 12 integrally molded with a peripheral step channel 20. Stepchannel 20 is configured to positively engage an associated container 50(such as via interfering beads 33 and 55, FIG. 4), and to provide agasket compression gap 18 for selective assembly of a compressiblegasket element 60 therein. By inserting such a compressible gasketelement 60 into the gasket compression gap, a liquid seal can beprovided between the lid and container.

[0045] Yet another description of a preferred embodiment is that itprovides a multi-purpose container lid including a sealing rim portion19 and 16, and a gasket channel 18 adjacent the sealing rim portion. Astop 16 preferably permits insertion of a container 50 into sealingcontact with the sealing rim portion 19, 16, and prevents insertion ofthat container 50 into the gasket channel 18.

[0046] The preferred embodiment includes a peripheral inner rim 24, aperipheral outer rim 32 spaced therefrom, and a gasket channel 18 formedbetween the inner rim 24 and the outer rim 32. A detent 16 is alsopreferably formed between the inner rim and the outer rim to prevent acontainer from being inserted into the gasket channel, for applicationsin which a compressible seal element 60 is used.

[0047] FIGS. 3-8 illustrate a preferred square, recessed, stackable lidembodiment of the invention. Persons of ordinary skill in the art willunderstand, however, that the invention can be practiced in a widevariety of shapes and sizes of containers and corresponding lids,including without limitation round, square, rectangular, hinged lids,non-hinged lids, those having tearstrips such as tearstrip 30, etc.

[0048] Although the preferred embodiment of the invention has beendescribed with some specificity, the description and drawings set forthherein are not intended to be delimiting, and persons of ordinary skillin the art will understand that various modifications may be made to theembodiments discussed herein without departing from the scope of theinvention, and all such changes and modifications are intended to beencompassed within the appended claims.

What is claimed is
 1. A lid for a container, said lid including achannel member at its periphery for engaging with a correspondingportion of the container, said channel member having a cross-sectionthat includes a dry-sealing contact surface, said cross-section furtherincluding a wet-sealing contact area for selectively receiving awet-sealing contact member, said dry-sealing contact surface configuredto abut a confronting surface on the container when no wet-sealingcontact member is present in said wet-sealing contact area, and saidwet-sealing contact area configured to provide liquid sealing betweensaid lid and the container when a wet-sealing contact member is presentin said wet-sealing contact area.
 2. The lid of claim 1, furtherincluding a wet-sealing contact member in said wet-sealing contact area.3. The lid of claim 2, in which said wet-sealing contact member includesa flexible gasket.
 4. The lid of claim 2, in which said wet-sealingcontact member includes sealing material foamed-in-place in saidwet-sealing contact area.
 5. The lid of claim 1 or claim 2 or claim 3 orclaim 4, in which said dry-sealing contact surface includes a shoulderformed in said channel, and said wet-sealing contact area includes adeeper portion of said channel that is not normally in direct contactwith the container, said deeper portion of said channel configured toreceive the wet-sealing contact member.
 6. The lid of claim 5, in whichsaid shoulder is configured to prevent insertion of the container intosaid wet-sealing contact area.
 7. A container and lid combination, saidcontainer having an upper edge having a first portion and a secondportion, said lid having a peripheral structure for matingly engagingsaid upper edge of said container, said peripheral structure including acontacting surface configured to contact said first portion of saidupper edge during non-liquid-sealing between said container and saidlid, said peripheral structure further including a selective sealingsection, said selective sealing section configured to selectivelyreceive a liquid-sealing element and position that element in contactwith said second portion of said upper edge during liquid-sealingbetween said container and said lid.
 8. The container and lidcombination of claim 7, in which said first and second portions of saidupper edge of said container constitute relatively flat adjacentsurfaces.
 9. The container and lid combination of claim 7 or claim 8, inwhich said peripheral structure includes a downwardly disposed outerflange member, and said contacting surface to contact said first portionof said upper edge includes a detent on said flange configured toprevent said second portion of said upper edge from contacting saidselective sealing section except if a liquid-sealing element is presentin said selective sealing section.
 10. A lid having a generally invertedU-shaped cross section at its periphery, said cross section having afirst portion for receiving a corresponding portion of a container in adry-seal relationship, said cross-section having a further recessedportion for selectively receiving a liquid-sealing member for providingliquid-sealing between said lid and the container.
 11. The lid of claim10, said cross-section further including a shoulder portion definingsaid first portion from said recessed portion.
 12. A method of sealing aplurality of containers, including the steps of: providing a pluralityof containers having uniform structures for engagement withcorresponding lids; providing a plurality of lids corresponding to saidcontainers, each lid having the same generally inverted U-shaped crosssection at its periphery, said cross section having a first portion forengaging said engagement structure of any one of said containers in adry-seal relationship, said cross-section having a further recessedportion for selectively receiving a liquid-sealing member for providingliquid-sealing between said lid and its associated container; andselectively inserting a liquid sealing member into said recessed portionof those lids for which liquid-sealing is desired.
 13. A container lid,said lid including: a central lid portion integrally molded with aperipheral step channel, said step channel configured to positivelyengage an associated container and to provide a gasket compression gapfor selective assembly of a compressible gasket element therein.
 14. Thecontainer lid of claim 13, further including a compressible gasketelement assembled in said gasket compression gap.
 15. A multi-purposecontainer lid including a sealing rim portion and a gasket channeladjacent said sealing rim portion, further including a stop formed topermit insertion of a container into sealing contact with said sealingrim portion and to prevent insertion of that container into said gasketchannel.
 16. An integrally molded plastic lid having a central body witha peripheral inner rim, a peripheral outer rim spaced therefrom, and agasket channel between said inner rim and said outer rim, and a detentalso formed between said inner rim and said outer rim to prevent acontainer from being inserted into said gasket channel.